Abnormally positioned teeth are not only unattractive, but they are generally difficult to clean, resulting in decay and damage to the teeth and gums. Great advances in orthodontics have allowed for the movement of teeth by applying a constant pressure so as to position the teeth in an aligned, properly spaced array within one's mouth. Movement of teeth is accomplished by various orthodontic appliances which are generally referred to by the layman as "braces". The orthodontic appliance is attached to the teeth by means of bands disposed about the teeth or by means of bonding the appliance to the teeth using a conventional adhesive. Bands are difficult to tightly position about one's teeth, and bonding gives rise to the potential for decay of a tooth in the vicinity where the appliance is attached. In addition, an appliance bonded to a tooth is difficult to remove, with some of the adhesive frequently remaining affixed to the tooth after appliance removal. Most available orthodontic appliances are also not readily adapted for attachment to other appliances such as rubber bands, "Herbst" appliances, and maxillary expansion appliances and frequently make the installation of such appliances quite difficult.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned limitations of the prior art by providing a dental clamp device which is easily installed and removed by a dentist and which is essentially patient-proof in terms of removal and which eliminates the need for bonding or bands while maintaining adjacent teeth in fixed relative position and orientation.